To the unenlightened,
Cataract may come off like your average, ordinary-sounding metal band. But metal experts will be able to detect that the Swiss group borrows equally from several different metallic subgenres -- thrash, doom, and hardcore metal -- as evidenced throughout its 2008 self-titled release. However, the group's most notable influence appears to be the good ol' Southern boys in
Pantera, as evidenced by the
Dimebag-esque riffing and Anselmo-like hollering that comprise "The Separation of Life and Time," "Choke Down," and the mostly instrumental (except for a few well-placed tortured screams) "Tonight We Dine in Hell." Five full-lengths into their career,
Cataract still stick largely to the same sonic game plan they've embraced all along -- and there appear to be no sudden musical shifts in sight, as evidenced by this solid yet unsurprising release. ~ Greg Prato